WHY Glute Ham Developer

The most important benefit to the GHD is body awareness (learning to control movements) and overall control of center of gravity. With this equipment, you start training under no load to the musculature. Using the GHD helps teach the body to adapt to whatever movement it needs to make in sports and even everyday living. It achieves this by turning the average hips into explosive engine which is responsible for producing strength and power as well as serving as anchor for proper stabilization of the overall body.

the moves

There are short and long list of exercises and stretches for which the GHD can be used. The following are the most fundamental movements which make up the comprehensive Glute Ham Development.

GLUTE HAM RAISE

To start: When adjusting the footplate, make sure that your feet are secured and your thighs supported on the curved seat. Your knees should be right below the curved seat – they should not be on the curved seat. Your knees will be bent and your torso will be upright (perpendicular to the floor). Keep your arms folded in front of you in an “x”.To execute the movement: start by squeezing the hamstrings, glutes, and abs. Extend the legs with control. Once the legs are straight, bend at the hips. Bring the torso down in a controlled motion.When coming back up, go in reverse by extending at the hips before bending the knees. You want to make sure that your hamstrings and glutes are engaged during this movement. Your goal during this exercise is to keep the torso elongated and spine aligned at all times.

HIP EXTENSION

For this exercise, the feet are secured on the footplate and the legs are straight on the curved seat. You want your hip joint at the front of the curved seat. Your torso is down so that it’s “upside down”.​To start the movement, keep the torso straight – do NOT round the back (or spine). Keep your arms in front of your chest. From the flexed position, lift your torso up until your whole body is parallel to the floor extending at the hip. Hold for a few seconds and then bring the torso down by flexing at the hip. Remember to keep the torso straight! Basically, what you want here is to be dynamic at the hip and static at the trunk (torso).

If this is too hard for you or you’ve never done this exercise, you can do other exercises that will help you progress to it. You can start by doing the Superman Hold. To do this get in the same position as you would for the hip extension exercise. Here, instead of letting your hips flex you’re going to hold your torso up so that your whole body is parallel to the floor. Hold this position for a few seconds to start. From there you can start lowering your torso a few inches and then coming back to parallel.

BACK EXTENSION

For the Back Extension, you will be in the same position as the Hip Extension. The difference with this position is that your hips are now on the curved seat to keep them “locked”. So here you’re dynamic at the trunk (torso) and static at the hip (the opposite of the Hip Extension).​Start with the torso “hanging” upside down. Extend the hips and allow the back to round. Bring the torso up one vertebra at a time. Once the torso is parallel to the floor, continue the motion by bringing the head up so you’re looking straight ahead.To bring yourself back down, go in reverse: bring the head down first, round the back so you’re going one vertebra at a time. Continue the movement until you’re in the starting position.

Sit-Up HALF / FULL

For this exercise, you’re sitting on the curved seat for the parallel version and behind the pad for the full. Adjust the foot plate away from the curved seat so that your butt is on the curved seat. In other words, your sitting directly on the curved seat or behind it. Your butt is hanging off it a little or right on top.

HALF Sit Up: Your knees are bent. Keep your trunk flat and limit the movement to the hip. Extend the body to full length, returning to the 90 degree truck upright and perpendicular to the floor.

FULL Sit Up: Your knees are slightly bent. Here you’re going to be dynamic at the hip and static at the trunk(torso). Start by bringing your torso back so it’s parallel to the floor. When you come back up, make the movement explosive. While you’re coming up explosively, straighten and lock the knees. When you’re moving your torso back to the parallel position, bend the knees. Your back should stay straight throughout the whole movement.​You can also practice and do AbMat sit-ups on a regular basis to get yourself strong enough to attempt the GHD Sit-Up to Parallel.

side bend twist

GHD WORKOUTS

Once student has properly learned to stabilize themselves front, back and sides, they're ready to complete GHD drill 1 and may continue with Drill 1, ultimately progressing through each of the 4 training drills.